Songs from Screw City: The McDonald family finds harmony together

ROCKFORD — Families often don’t get along. But the McDonalds find harmony.

And they shared their Americana interpretation of the world in two- and three-part harmony March 22 in the loft at Kryptonite Bar during a Starlite Radio performance for Songs From Screw City.

David, Jordan and Nathan McDonald grew up playing and writing music together, often at their grandparents’ place, Littlebeck Farm, near Durand. When Nathan started writing with his future wife, Jessica, the band came together. It was 2002.

“It wasn’t planned,” Nathan said. “It just kind of happened. Everybody was playing the right instruments.”

And they liked the sound.

“We get along,” Nathan said. “A lot of people are like, ‘You guys are a family. You shouldn’t be getting along and playing together as a family.’”

Songs from Screw City, a partnership between rrstar.com and Kryptonite Bar, is now online at rrstar.com/screwcitysongs. Troy Oakley of Sound Vizion Productions did the audio. The video was produced by Tim Stotz, who specializes in VFX and motion graphics.

Songs from Screw City – follow on Twitter at #SCSongs – is an online library of performances by singers and songwriters playing intimate shows in a loft setting. Artists share their music and stories about their inspiration for making it.

Upcoming Songs for Screw City shows in the loft at Kryptonite Bar (7 p.m.):